


We'll Be Coming Back

by addledwalrus



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Apologies, Bisexuality, Bondage, Brother-Sister Relationships, Brotherly Love, Coming Out, Cultural References, Dating, Demon True Forms, Demons, Devils, Disguise, Dominance, Dreams vs. Reality, Dreamsharing, Drowning, Dystopia, Engagement, Execution, F/M, Fantasy, Fire, Game of Thrones References, Goats, Gun Violence, Hell, Honesty, Hurt/Comfort, Hybrids, Illuminati, Illusions, Implied/Referenced Incest, Inappropriate Humor, Insecurity, Interspecies Sex, Loneliness, Lovecraftian Monster(s), Loyalty, Lust, Madness, Male Friendship, Masks, Mercy Killing, Murder-Suicide, Old Friends, One Night Stands, Outer Space, Perfect, Personification, Pining, Rebellion, Reconciliation, Relationship Issues, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Self-Sacrifice, Sexual Content, Submission, Suicide, Summer, Supernatural Elements, Tentacle Monsters, Torture, Transformation, True Form Sex, True Forms, Trust, Unrequited Love, Wedding Planning, Winter, Zombies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-23
Updated: 2017-06-22
Packaged: 2018-10-23 05:31:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 9,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10713210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/addledwalrus/pseuds/addledwalrus
Summary: A group of former highschool friends explore each others' dreams, which leads to rather chaotic results.





	1. Prologue

_"Holy mother of God..."_

Madison lifted her head and gazed out in disbelief at the sheer expanse of dark space around her. Further observation revealed that she was floating along upon a large rock, or so it seemed from the way a distant star seemed to be getting closer by the second.

She eventually drifted right past the celestial body and arrived near a bridge built entirely of ice, at which she stood up hesitantly before placing an unsteady foot forward.

It took several tentative steps for her to grow confident that she could cross without slipping and a faint light became visible over the horizon.

She soon learned that it's source was a glowing blue triangle with a bright and ominous looking eye at it's centre.

_"The Illuminati?"_

The appearance of a dark silhouette stole her attention as a man gradually stepped out from the void, a large goat mask obscuring his face.

Madison instinctively shrunk away in uncertainty while he raised both hands to begin removing the haunting disguise, the eventual revelation of his identity filling her with pleasant surprise as well as confusion.

"Cute church guy? What are you doing here?!" She cried out, jaw dropping in shock while she took a clumsy step backwards.

He smiled pleasantly in response and stared back with soft brown eyes, before raising both arms to summon her forward.

"Greetings, child. Welcome to the light..."


	2. Radioactive

"Wait, since when were you two engaged? Why didn't you tell me before?"

Zach eyed his old friend in amusement as he prepared to finally spill the secret he'd been keeping so well over the past few weeks.

"How should I put it? I guess I wanted it to be a surprise..."

"Oh...so how did you do it?" The other young man replied skeptically, still feeling some doubt over the truth of what he was hearing.

"The old fashioned way. We went out to a restaurant and I...well, you know how it always goes..."

"Yeah, pretty much. I just have one more question."

"Go ahead."

"Okay...if you guys ever get married, what are the chances of me being the best man? Seeing as we've been friends for so long..."

Zach's expression grew serious for the first time that evening and he pondered the best way to admit the disappointing truth.

"Sorry, but... I already have someone in mind."

"Who?"

"Noah."

"Damn."

Jared swallowed in disappointment and turned away in an attempt to hide the unwanted feeling, but Zach noticed nonetheless.

"Hey, don't get me wrong. You're special to me and all, but I've known him way longer, plus he's her brother..."

"It's fine, I get it. I just tend to get a bit lonely sometimes, with all you guys jumping into committed relationships..."

The sound of a door swinging open caught Zach's attention and he stood up, completely forgetting about the conversation as he rushed to meet the young woman walking into the room.

"Welcome back, how's your day been?"

Zach allowed her to kiss him on the cheek before listening attentively to her answer while they joined each other on the couch.

The affectionate looks that they exchanged stirred up a deep feeling of jealousy within Jared that only grew the more he thought about past failed relationships.

Regardless, he knew that it was best to let the happy couple be and return home, where he could wallow in loneliness and self-pity without bothering anyone.

* * *

Zach left early in the morning to head to work at the restaurant, desperately craving a coffee while he started up the engine and drove out of the carpark.

The feeling that something wasn't quite right about his surroundings first sprung up as he stopped at a traffic light and noticed that every other vehicle looked rather generic to say the least.

He dismissed the observation as simply a product of being bored with his tiresome job and sped up once the light turned green, opting to get his caffeine fix from the pleasant coffee shop near his place of employment.

It was only after he'd made his purchase that sight of a shiny black car parked outside became obvious. He stopped to stare, paper cup in hand, as it's doors opened upwards like something from a Batman film he'd watched as a child.

A pair of mysterious men clad in similarly dark suits and sunglasses emerged from the vehicle, striding straight forward to seize him roughly by the arms, causing him to drop the hot drink while he was forced into the car against his will.

"Who the hell are you guys?! What do you want with me?!" Zach could only cry out in panic before the driver slammed hard on the gas, sending him forward so that the handcuffs around his wrists rubbed painfully against pale skin.

* * *

The car was brought to an abrupt stop outside what Zach could only assume to be a government building of some sort.

He was rudely dragged on to the sidewalk before he could ask any questions, though the assembly of emotionless soldiers gathered on the lawn convinced him that it was perhaps better not to know too much.

After waiting in a large lobby for what seemed like an hour, a pleasant female voice announced over the intercom that it was time to face whatever he was in trouble for.

"Zach Olsen, the President will now judge your crimes."

Several unnecessarily forceful shoves later, Zach landed heavily on a dull wooden chair to wait in dread as the shadowy figure behind a desk slowly spun around to face him.

A bright light cast itself on the authority figure as if on cue and Zach let out a gasp of shock upon recognizing their face.

"Noah?! What's goin-"

"Silence, traitor. You shall address me as President Jackson. To do otherwise would only add to your already long list of state crimes."

"What?!" Zach yelled in disbelief, rising up bravely to confront his so-called childhood friend. "I swear that I'm a good citizen. The worst I've ever done is forget to pay a parking ticket!"

"Oh, really?" President Jackson replied cockily, picking up a stack of files and straightening them out. "You claim innocence after that heinous affair you had with my little sister? She hasn't been herself since, you know..."

Zach was speechless as the realization of how Noah must have felt the whole time he'd been dating Alicia hit home, though he still found it confusing why it warranted such a violent arrest.

"...for your deeds, I decree that you shall face death by firing squad at noon sharp. This decision is final."

The President motioned for him to be taken away, only for the dire situation to be unexpectedly interrupted by the arrival of a familiar young woman with several rogue guards behind her as support.

"Noah, just let him go! He really hasn't done anything wrong!"

"And what will happen if I don't?"

"I'll open fire!"

"So, you'd shoot at your own brother?"

"Yes!"

Alicia signaled for her troops to move forward so that they could all fire at once upon the Presidential desk, the deafening roar prompting Zach to duck and cover his ears while he tried to flee the scene.

Such an attempt proved futile when he found himself suddenly cornered by officers still loyal to the President and was caught in the crossfire.

He collapsed to the floor and gasped desperately for air, chest bleeding heavily as he slipped away.


	3. Classic

_"Damn these rainy days..."_

Noah glanced out the window at the grey sky and the countless other cars stuck in a stand still from the horrid weather. He then turned to look at his younger sister, as well as the steel bridge railing right outside.

The slippery conditions along with the thought of what it would be like to fall over the flimsy structure, urged him to turn on the radio in the hope of calming his nerves.

A station that played only jazz music seemed perfect for the current occasion and Noah gave a sigh of relief while appreciating the fact that Alicia was safe by his side.

* * *

Alicia rejoined the two young men at the table, her hair curled in a style reminiscent of Dorothy Dandridge and other female entertainers of old.

She straightened the hem of her dress upon sitting down, before admiring the equally stylish suits that Noah and Zach were wearing.

Zach politely excused himself from the table in order to head to the men's room, an act that Alicia innocently overlooked as a result of being a little too trusting of her fiance.

Noah wasn't fooled however and his attention soon shifted to the lady seated alone at a nearby table, her rouge cheeks and beestung lips convincing him that she was actively on the prowl for vulnerable men.

The fact that she abruptly rose mere seconds after Zach had left only aroused Noah's suspicion even more and he decided the time was right to intervene.

He ignored Alicia's demands to know what was going on, in lieu of following the mysterious woman from a distance in the hope of finding out her motives.

* * *

Noah found her loitering outside the men's room as expected and managed to catch the woman's attention by complimenting her beauty, a tactic that actually seemed to work for once.

She turned to him and flashed a dazzling smile to indicate interest, before they fell into a conversation about the nightclub decor.

"So, what's your name? I really want to know..." He asked bluntly, confidence peaking after noticing Zach exit the bathroom and head straight back to where Alicia was waiting.

"My name? I actually don't have one..." She replied with a laugh of embarrassment. "...since I'm just a composite of all the other girls your sister has met."

_"I see. It all makes sense now..."_

"Well, how about I call you Marilyn? You look like one anyway."

"Oh, I love that name!"

"Cool. How about I show you my car? Then maybe, we could go for a nice drive..."

"Why, I'd be glad to!"

* * *

After sharing a few dances with each other and buying drinks, Alicia and Zach sat down to watch a musical performance on stage despite Noah's unexplained absence.

Things took a shocking turn when the arrival of a surprise guest was announced and they gasped in unison as Jared stepped out, looking rather dapper in 1920s finery.

The young man tipped his hat flamboyantly before sitting down at the piano to accompany a glamorous female singer clad in a shimmering blue gown.

"Oh crap..." Alicia whispered, turning to Zach in fear. "...this isn't a good sign..."

She grabbed him by the arm so that they could leave the place early, though the effort proved useless when Jared stretched his foot underneath the piano mid-song and retrieved a large machine gun. He picked it up and leapt off the stool to begin his attack.

"Come on, Bonnie! Let's show these suckers the dangers of having a good time!"

At that, he and his partner opened fire on the clubgoers, sending everyone into a panic as they began to run for their lives.

Zach got to the exit in relief, only to find in horror after several yanks that the door was locked. He turned towards Alicia and wracked his mind for another escape route.

"We... we could try the back door!" Alicia suggested impulsively, before he followed her lead and they fled in the opposite direction, narrowly dodging the bullets whizzing around at lightning speed.

* * *

"So, I guess this is the way to your place?" Marilyn said brightly while Noah held the steering wheel firmly and stared straight ahead through the mist.

"You could say that."

"You don't have to act so mysterious, by the way. I'm all for men with hidden soft sides, so there's no need to pretend..."

Noah did not hear her words clearly as the effects of being in a dream world for too long began to take a toll on his concentration. A tempting notion entered his mind and without much further thought, he turned the steering wheel sharply to the right.

Marilyn let out a piercing scream as the car skidded out of direction and crashed right through the bridge railing, sending them both into the icy cold river below.

Noah let go of the wheel and instinctively shut his eyes as water rushed violently all around him, filling his lungs to the point that it felt like they would burst.

* * *

Gloria was thrilled upon hearing the news of her daughter's engagement, to say the least, which was enough to raise Noah's hopes that his own status as a bachelor would be overlooked.

The opposite came to pass unfortunately, after the excitement had worn off and his mother finally turned her attention to him.

"...I know you're a grown man and you'd prefer to choose a girl independently, but a friend of mine has a daughter who's single and-"

"Forget it, Mom. You're not setting me up with another family friend."

"Won't you trust me this time, Noah? I even have a picture of her..."

Gloria stopped scrolling and handed her phone to him. He took it reluctantly and blinked at the photo that had been blatantly edited so that it's subject would look more attractive.

_"Wait a minute, isn't this Jared's sister?"_


	4. Animals

The first thing Zach did upon awaking was feel his own chest to find in relief that everything was still intact.

The second thing he did was quietly slip out of bed so as not to awake his fiancee too early, before grabbing his phone and heading to the bathroom.

A calm female voice reminded him of the existence of a much older sister and he eased her worries by claiming that life was going perfectly.

Alicia passed by quietly while the conversation was passed on to his excited six year old niece and he felt torn in regards as to which female deserved more attention.

Fortunately, some of the informal lessons he'd given Alicia paid off when she turned on the stove to prepare a quick breakfast.

He expressed gratitude as they sat down to eat and suddenly found himself pondering whether Noah was really the right choice for best man.

_"Then again, he's always been a lot more mature and sensible than the rest of us..."_

* * *

"Sir, may I take your order?" The waitress repeated a little louder, successfully distracting Noah from a wistful daydream and prompting him to swiftly inform her that he was waiting for somebody.

She left him alone in order to serve another customer and soon after, he checked his phone to find a new text message.

 _"Marilyn..."_ He thought longingly upon deleting it and instead recalling the beautiful woman from his sister's dream world.

Whereas in the past, he'd chased girls just for the fun of it, the notion of pursuing romance had now lost it's appeal due to the illusion that had refused to leaved his conscious ever since.

It was clear that no woman could compete with such perfection and to make matters worse, Noah realized that he couldn't care less if dissatisfaction eventually drove him mad.

* * *

Alicia withdrew some cash on the way home from her job as a shop assistant and returned to an empty apartment, where she opened a window in the hope of letting some fresh air in.

All that greeted her however was sweltering summer heat, so she decided inside to turn on the air conditioner and relax on the couch for some television.

A fantasy series that Zach seemed especially fond of happened to be on and she soon found herself drawn into it's intricate world as well, though the occasional act of debauchery did make her feel uncomfortable to say the least.

She found herself wishing impatiently for winter to arrive as the program wore on, despite all better judgment and the warm weather of the local region being a major draw for tourists from around the world.

* * *

"Hello, is there anyone out here?!" Alicia called out in frustration while stumbling through the snow under the weight of a heavy fur coat and desperately looking out for signs of life.

Nobody answered and she eventually slumped down by a tree to get some rest, before picking up a pair of small sticks so that she could try unsuccessfully to start a fire.

She tossed them away after several minutes' effort and forced herself to press on by picturing a cosy house with warm fireplace.

The sun shining faintly through dark clouds provided her with some relief and the day took another bright turn when she encountered a creature that could only be described as a fox-cat hybrid.

The strange animal seemed friendly enough as it scurried straight into her arms, wagging it's bushy tail and purring while she stroked it's fur.

Alicia and her new companion were able to cover a few more miles that day before a brightly lit house in the distance filled her heart with hope.

She took excited steps forward and was halfway there when a deafening roar sounded from above and she looked up to see a fearsome dragon homing in on her. She instinctively shielded her face in response while waiting in terror for the inevitable jet of fire.

Seconds passed with nothing much happening and she slowly lowered her arms to find in pleasant surprise that some benevolent force had turned the dragon to ice before it could harm her.

Feeling blessed by this fortunate event, Alicia thanked the heavens and continued on in high spirits, only lose her footing upon the shallow surface of a frozen lake, at which she crashed right through the ice and ended up in deep water with very little chance of escape.

All the while, a man with the face of a goat watched from behind a tree, feeling great satisfaction at the spectacle occurring before him.

* * *

Alicia rolled over uncomfortably in bed from the vivid dream and spent a few seconds making out Zach's sleeping form, before shifting closer to get more warmth.

For reasons she couldn't quite explain, it no longer seemed to bother her when he gave attention to other girls, as if she knew a hundred percent that he wasn't the sort of person whom would be unfaithful on a whim.

She smiled in amusement as her thoughts shifted impulsively to Noah and the fact that he'd been moping a lot recently over some woman whose name he refused to disclose.

* * *

 _"Well, I guess I don't need you anymore..."_ Jared thought indifferently upon tossing a bible into the box of unwanted belongings he planned to donate, before reflecting in shame upon the brief religious phase he'd gone through a couple of years earlier.

He threw an old t-shirt in on top and decided that work was done for the day, as his focus shifted towards the abandoned shopping cart just resting in the corner of the room.

_"It's about time I returned you as well, you must be pretty mad after listening to me-"_

His phone abruptly sounded and he trudged to the nearby table to read the new message in surprise, while wondering why an old girlfriend was so keen on seeing him again.

He took her up on the offer after remembering his wilder teenage years and wanting to relive them again for just one night.


	5. Born to Die

"Brittany, what are you doing here? I thought you'd-" Jared remarked in surprise when he unlocked the door to find the slender blonde leaning idly against a wall.

"I said that I'd see you tonight, didn't I?" She replied calmly, casting off her jacket while approaching him.

Jared flinched impulsively when she tried to move in for a kiss and shifted away from her side, using the excuse that he had just eaten to dissuade her.

Despite her still strong libido, Brittany simply let him have his way and resigned herself to the act of watching him prepare dinner.

The wait paid off late that evening in the bedroom, where they both methodically undressed before feeling each others' embrace.

* * *

 _"Where'd this fog come from? I can't see a damn thing..."_ Jared thought as the mist engulfed him and made already dark surroundings appear even more hazy.

"Boo!"

He spun around in a fright to discover that the source of the low voice was nothing but a weathered old woman, whose short stature and hunched back convinced him that she wasn't much of a threat.

Even so, he was aware that looks could sometimes be deceiving and so, decided to exercise caution in her presence.

"Scared you, didn't I?" She said mockingly while flashing a mischievous grin and surprising him with the fact that her teeth were still pearly white.

"No, you didn't. I'm not a chicken..." He insisted, growing increasingly uncomfortable at the way she was eyeing him.

"So you say. I know the perfect place where lost souls such as you can stay, would you like me to take you there?"

"Uh, sure..." Jared replied hesitantly after again glancing around and deciding it was best to get away from such a place as soon as possible.

At that, the elderly stranger took his hand and away they flew, prompting him to choke in disbelief at his situation.

"You can call me Betty, by the way. It might seem hard to believe, but I was once incredibly beautiful."

"That's good to hear. How old are you, eighty?"

"Close."

They landed and Jared stared up at the brightly lit mansion upon the hill, while trying to remember where he'd seen such a structure before.

"One more thing..." Betty added as she released his hand and prepared to leave. "...put this mask on first, so they'll think you're one of them."

"What?" He could only exclaim in confusion when she tossed forward the very mask that he'd worn for Halloween once at the age of seventeen.

"Just put it on."

She disappeared as soon as he obeyed, to which he could only roll his eyes and curse the entire place for being so strange.

* * *

"Excuse me, could you tell me who owns this place?"

The pair of masked men stopped in their tracks and turned to face Jared with dark vacant eyes before one of them politely replied.

"Surely you must be mistaken if you don't know about her royal Highness, the princess?"

"What?"

"We are but loyal subjects who must put up with her fickle ways..."

"Wait, so if there's a princess here, where's the King and Queen?"

"On permanent vacation after all of her pubescent tantrums." The second man stated matter-of-factly.

"Okay..." Jared muttered, nodding to feign understanding while wondering if the last answer was in fact a euphemism for a coup that had ended in the parents being executed.

He decided not to dwell too much on such an idea at the moment and thanked the pair so that he could begin exploring.

* * *

Following a larger crowd lead to a large chandelier lit hall where he couldn't help but feel out of place amongst the fancy period attire.

He considered picking a random male bystander and knocking them out in order to steal their clothing, only to decide that it wasn't worth the risk when he knew next to nothing about their hygiene practices.

He eventually resigned himself to finding an inconspicuous chair and watching from the sidelines, hoping that the mask would adequately hide his presence.

An hour passed as he helped himself to a drink or two and learned from various conservations that such parties were apparently a weekly occurrence, as well as a way for the princess to observe her closest subjects.

She arrived shortly after flanked by two female attendants, revealing herself to be the only individual who needed not wear a mask as the bright lights gave her face an almost ethereal glow.

"Brittany?!" Jared called out impulsively, recognizing her face with ease before immediately regretting the rash action.

Everybody's attention turned to him and after cringing under the countless judgmental stares, he decided that the damage was done and it was time to let his identity be known.

He threw the stifling mask to the floor with great force and made eye contact with the princess, a smile creeping across his face at her stunned expression.

She raised a hand to her pretty mouth and gasped much to his amusement, though the night took a frightening turn when she suddenly flew into a rage and ordered for him to be cast out.

"Brittany, don't you recognize me?! I'm Jared, your-" He yelled in desperation while two men seized him aggressively by the arms and cut his sentence short with a paralyzing blow to the head.

* * *

"I'm...I'm so sorry..." Betty whispered softly while approaching the young man tied roughly between two posts, whose whole body was bruised and bloody. "...we really thought you were the one..."

He raised his head slowly in response and stared ahead in complete despair, the look in his eyes instantly reminding Betty of the way her late brother used to be before his departure from the mortal world.

"Please, help me..." Jared managed to plead through parched lips as his vision blurred and dark hair began to stick to a damp forehead, wanting nothing more than for the torture to end.

"I shall..." The old woman reassured, sliding a hand underneath her cloak and producing a large dagger.

She thrust the blade deep into his heart before he could react and then swiftly pulled it out, allowing the life to seep out of him.

Jared's head sagged as she hastily wiped off the blood and ambled away with difficulty, stopping for a brief moment to gaze at the bonfire raging in the distance before continuing on home.


	6. My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark

"Jared, can I ask you a question? I hope it won't offend you..."

"Go ahead."

Brittany let her head lean against his bare shoulder in resignation before speaking again.

"Would you die for me?"

"What?"

"I know it's really cliche, but I'd like an honest answer..."

"You sure?"

"Of course, baby..." She crooned while beginning to gently stroke his chest.

"Well...no."

Brittany frowned and promptly withdrew her hand.

"I knew it."

Jared watched her turn away in disappointment and immediately wondered if there was a kinder way in which he could have told the truth.

"Hey, don't get me wrong. I love you, but just not enough to throw away my future."

"It's not that I'm worried about..." She admitted after a long pause.

"Then, what is it?"

"I guess it's about time I told you my secret. I get off on seeing guys like you in pain, doesn't matter whether it's emotional or physical..."

"You're...you're kidding, right?" Jared remarked in complete surprise, failing to understand why she was saying such a thing after being penetrated by him two hours earlier.

"No... I mean, sex is pretty hot, but when I imagine you on your knees and begging to be saved, I just..."

"So, that's how it is? You string me along for a year because you find it fun?!"

"No, what I'm trying to say is, it's a big problem of mine and I need some time to think-"

"Well, why don't you start by leaving me alone? Clearly I'm just a tool..."

* * *

"Karen, isn't there anything I can get for you?"

"Nuh uh..." The older woman sighed indifferently, too engrossed in the erotic BDSM novel she was reading.

Steve frowned and tossed the catalogue down before leaving the room, feeling dissatisfied with the lack of attention his wife had been giving him over the past few months.

As if the recent interest in dirty fiction wasn't enough, he'd also noticed lately that she seemed to have developed a habit of fantasizing about younger men, though Steve couldn't really blame her when he'd never been attractive to begin with.

 _"I guess this is the kind of thing that divorces are made of..."_ He thought while sinking into a dining room chair and remembering the vow he'd made to never fall down the same path as his wretched parents, one of whom was now dead from the life of debauchery they'd led.

A phone call forced Steve to put his musing on hold as he rushed across the room to hear the voice of his son, announcing plans to visit for Thanksgiving.

The conversation ended and he went back to pondering his marriage, before mentally cursing how careless his daughter had been in leaving one of her adult books behind during a previous visit.

* * *

"I don't understand what's going on, Jared. What is there to like about that piece of trash? Just one page made me want to throw up..."

"Beats me..." The younger man replied, taking a sip of water. "I guess there's just something about terrible writing that appeals to some pe

"Really? Because I thought they were better than that..." Steve lamented in despair as he once again focused on his wife and daughter sitting together discussing the line between dominance and submission.

"I don't know..." Jared sighed while remembering the dispute with Brittany. "They could be on to something, for all we know."

"Well, I think we've spent enough time chatting. We have a turkey to roast, could you turn on the oven?"

"Fine..."

* * *

_"Where the hell am I? And what sort of music is this?"_

Michelle straightened out her shirt and skirt while stumbling through the brightly lit corridor to find a door that lead straight to the edge of a fiery pit.

Sweat rolled down her face as she instinctively stepped backwards, only to jump in fright at the unexpected voice of her father.

"Jesus, Dad! At least give me a warning!"

"Don't you get it, Michelle?" Steve asked firmly, ignoring her confusion. "There's only one place this could be..."

His words sunk in and she slowly gazed around at the countless bursts of heat and steam stretching into the distance, before hearing the deafening screams of people in intense pain.

"Oh God. This is Hell, isn't it?"

"Yes. That's why we need to find your Mom and-"

A loud explosion erupted spontaneously, which resulted in a shockwave that sent them both sprawling to the stony ground. Michelle got up first and coughed while shaking ash and dust off her clothes.

Karen burst in through the same door that they'd just used and demanded to know what was happening, before malicious laughter caught the attention of all three.

It was only when they saw Jared confidently approaching them from the other side of a bridge that an even harsher truth became clear.

"System of a Down? Really?!" Michelle blurted out without thinking upon finally recognizing the song that was blaring all around.

"Silence, wench!" The young man dressed in scarlet yelled back. "Do you not know who I am?! I have excellent taste in music, if you weren't aware!"

Steve and Karen simultaneously choked in laughter at that point, unable to take seriously the notion of their son behaving in such a self-important manner.

"You find me funny. Is that right, foolish mortals? Well, let's see you laugh when I show you my true form!"

Jared made direct eye contact with them and clenched his fists as they quickly turned red and began to sprout claws. He then tossed his neck upwards with a loud crunch before grinning maniacally.

"Oh shit..."

Michelle turned around and tried to the best of her ability to convince her parents to flee, though they refused to oblige.

As if that weren't enough however, the appearance of yet another innocent individual tested her patience even further.

"Get out of here! Can't you see that he's-"

"It's okay. I've got this." The doll-faced blonde stubbornly insisted while pushing past. "He needs me, that's all."

"Jared!" She called out, making a headlong rush across the bridge to face him. "Listen to me! I have to tell you something!"

The half-transformed demon paused and stared upon recognizing the young woman, then frowned in annoyance.

"I have no time for your games, silly maiden! Begone before I-"

"No, listen to me! You're not you when you're lonely!"

"What?!"

The demon's claws retracted and the surrounding fires died down a little, filling his adversary with the courage to stride closer.

"I...I really do love you, Jared. You're the guy I think about every time I come home to an empty house. And when I'm lying alone in bed." 

"You really mean it?"

"Yeah, I guess I could die for you too...if the stakes were high enough."

A tear rolled from Jared's eye and he reverted to human form, before pulling Brittany into his arms and gently stroking her fair hair.

"I'm not giving you up again.. "

* * *

All the while, Michelle stood staring in disbelief and amazement at how quickly the blonde had managed to quell her brother's fiery temper.

She felt an inexplicable feeling of contentment even while watching them embrace rather passionately and turned around to observe her parents' reactions.

A wistful look was evident on Karen's face, whereas Steve seemed quite pleasantly surprised.

"Who knew? I guess she's the right one for him after all..."


	7. Happy

"...I'm sorry for blowing up at you like that. You'll forgive me, right?"

Brittany went silent and removed her sunglasses to look right into Jared's eyes before breaking into the signature sweet smile that convinced him all was right in the world.

"It's okay..."

Jared turned away in relief to focus on pushing the shopping cart through the aisle, feeling glad that he had a decent source of income and someone to keep him company as life passed by.

They shared a kiss while waiting in line at the checkout, before pulling away from each other and ignoring the distasteful looks from those standing behind.

* * *

Noah opened a bottle of champagne in order to serve the seemingly frigid brunette reclining on his couch, legs crossed to preserve her modesty as a result of the short dress she had chosen for the occasion.

Two glasses were poured and he passed one to her before sitting down as well, trying to stay positive by reminding himself that she in fact looked just as good as her profile picture had suggested.

"So, I guess our parents want us to hang out more together..." He began after clearing his throat, voice trailing off when he inexplicably realized that traces of her also existed within Marilyn.

Michelle rolled her eyes and took a casual sip, eager for the 'date' to end soon so that she could go home and have her own fun.

"Hey, at least try to talk to me. I might just be your ideal man, for all you know-"

"Do I look desperate?!" She snapped, losing her patience and placing the glass down. "There's nothing wrong with being single, thank you very much!"

Noah stared back speechlessly for a few seconds before making an equally scathing reply.

"Well, I guess all of Jared's stories are true then. You really can be a..."

"Go ahead. Say it."

"No, I'm not that kind of guy..."

Michelle stood up in complete frustration and headed for the door, to which Noah made no attempt to stop her.

He picked up his phone after she was gone and went through the contact list, deciding that he would recruit Jared's assistance as a last resort.

* * *

"So you're having trouble getting with Michelle? That's no big deal, I can help..." Jared explained brightly while a large smile was plastered on his face.

Noah regarded him in suspicion, unable to think of the pleasant demeanor as anything but a ruse, especially after what used to happen whenever another boy showed romantic interest in his sister.

"...So what exactly is the problem? She's not giving you a chance, right?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Don't think too much of it. Being a bitch sometimes is just in her nature, which she gets from our grandma...anyway, want to know the best way to make her loosen up?"

"What?"

"Take her to a club with lots of cheap drinks and hot guys."

"You seem awfully happy. Are you on drugs or something?"

"Nope, just the power of love."

* * *

"Stop touching me! I'm your brother, for fucks sake!"

"But you're just so damn  _hot_..."

Noah nursed his throbbing forehead while wishing a pillow were available to hold over his ears, so that he wouldn't have to listen to two siblings getting a little more intimate than was healthy.

The plan had worked quite well, though the fact that Jared and Michelle now seemed just one careless move away from an incestuous makeout session, rendered all original goals meaningless.

He managed to separate the two with some effort before dragging them both towards the exit by the arms, planning to catch a cab and return to his apartment.

* * *

Noah rubbed his hands in relief after dumping Michelle on the couch beside her brother, before hearing his stomach rumble and realizing a snack was necessary.

He entered the kitchen and immediately noticed that everything looked out of proportion, which he simply attributed to his hungover mind, while unaware of just how the far illusion stretched.

Back in the living room, Jared regained his senses and sat up with a grin. He fired a quick glance at his sister and decided the coast was clear for whatever he planned to do.

* * *

Noah returned five minutes later to find Michelle stirring alone and absolutely no sign of Jared. He flew into a slight panic that only exacerbated at the sight of a nearby shattered window, at which he cautiously crept forward and sure enough, saw a pulverized corpse lying on the pavement below.

As if that weren't bad enough however, a small group of people in business attire began to gather around the body in morbid curiosity.

Noah gave a cry of anguish and the bystanders all looked up in unison, revealing blurred faces as well as other severe deformities.

Unable to accept anymore, he threw himself headlong away from the window and charged straight forward to shake Michelle awake.

"What... what's going on...?" She asked quietly, rolling her eyes in exhaustion.

"It's Jared... he just jumped out through the window."

"What?!"

Michelle's energy returned with alarming speed as she violently shoved Noah aside and rushed forward to learn that it was indeed her brother's body now being feasted upon by ravenous zombies.

She turned around tearfully to face Noah and after swallowing her grief, proposed a surprisingly sane course of action.

"There... there's nothing we can do but play along."


	8. All of Me

"You really think this is the best place to hide? They're about to break the windows, for-"

"We'll go down to the basement then! They won't be able to reach us there!"

Noah flinched as one zombie pressed it's face right against the glass and gave a muffled snarl, before he looked away and resigned himself to following Michelle towards the opening in the floor.

He slammed the trapdoor shut on them both and fearfully huddled down beside her, praying for the best while the sound of glass shattering above drove terror into his heart.

_"For the love of God, please don't pick up our scents..."_

* * *

Noah woke up some time later to eerie silence and soon found in relief that he was still in one piece.

It became clear that Michelle had also survived the night, from the way she breathed steadily while leaning her head against his shoulder.

He enjoyed the peace for a few more seconds before nudging her awake and bracing himself for foul complaints.

However, she simply stretched her arms and calmly suggested that they leave the house to search for provisions necessary to survive the apocalypse.

He meekly agreed and they climbed back to the surface to find in surprise that the zombies from hours earlier had been replaced by slobbering and disoriented vagrants.

They gathered around, their shabby clothes and soot covered faces prompting him to wrinkle his nose in disgust.

"Remember what I said about playing along?" Michelle spoke up while doing her best to appear relaxed in the presence of strange people.

"Easy for you to say, this is your dream..."

* * *

They left the park together feeling uplifted by the various stories they'd heard, as well as grateful for their own good fortune in life, until a faint but ominous buzz began to permeate through the air

"Do... do you hear that?" Noah asked, coming to a stop and staring straight at Michelle..

"Yeah, I do. What could it be?"

"I don't know. Maybe a plane?"

"I doubt it..." Michelle replied hesitantly as what sounded vaguely like a male voice could be heard echoing from above. "I think this world is starting to collapse on itself..."

"What?"

"We need to get back home, anyway possible."

She grabbed his hand with force so that they could enter a nearby tall building and head for the elevator.

The doors clicked shut and Noah quickly figured out what she had in mind.

"Oh no... isn't there an easier way out of this?"

"Like what? Shooting ourselves? Neither of us have a gun..."

They reached the top floor and Michelle strode out with purpose while he followed in uncertainty.

"Okay, take my hand. When I count to three, we jump." She explained resolutely after opening the window and gazing down in such a way that Noah wondered where such courage came from.

He allowed her fingers to curl around his before she took a deep breath and began to count.

"One... two... three!"

The two of them leapt outside as air rushed rapidly past at a deafening pace and concrete ground loomed in the distance as a reminder of what awaited.

Seconds later, the ghastly sound of bones crunching against pavement prompted onlookers to flee in horror and disbelief.

* * *

"Wait a second, where are we now?" Michelle asked in complete confusion as she stood up hesitantly to brush dust off her clothes. "This is reality, right?"

Noah swallowed and glanced around, instantly recognizing the abandoned street before turning back to deliver unfavorable news.

"This might upset you, but I think we're in my dreams now..."

"What?!" She screamed, losing her composure. "How is that even possible?"

"I guess part of me just wasn't ready to die, so I teleported us both here instead..."

"Well, I want to go home. I've had enough of this shi-"

"Not very ladylike, are you?" A second female voice suddenly chimed in, making Michelle twitch as she turned to stare at the image of perfection approaching.

"Marilyn?" Noah whispered, his eyes widening in complete surprise. "I thought you were..."

"You really thought drowning would kill me?" Marilyn responded with a pretty smile. "Well, ideas never truly die. I simply had to transfer myself into your subconscious and voila, I became twice as powerful!"

"Oh crap..."

"I've seen your memories and as it turns out, you've dated quite a few lookers, though none of them really satisfied you. Well, I can be the perfect lover. You won't have to worry about any other woman ever again..."

"No, leave him alone!" Michelle suddenly cried out defiantly, rushing forward to tackle the hologram head on.

Noah stood back in shock while the two women tumbled to the ground in a violent tussle, exchanging punches and scratches, however unfair the fight was.

Seeing Michelle's injuries growing steadily worse forced him to frantically search for a solution before things became too ugly.

The answer hit him just as she was pinned to the ground and about to be strangled. He raised his fist in the air and with a triumphant grin, announced the outrageous plan.

"Listen to me, just kiss her! She's completely straight!"

 _"What the hell..."_ Michelle thought wearily, rolling her eyes back to stare up at the blurred figure. _"How does that work?"_

"Just do it!"

_"Fine..."_

She worked up one last shred of willpower to kick Marilyn in the chest, before flailing her arms and pulling the latter straight down until their lips touched.

Marilyn gagged in horror and immediately recoiled to wipe the foreign blood off her face, as she felt her own strength fading.

"What have you done to me?!"

"We've weakened you." Noah answered calmly without batting an eye. "By making you bi-curious."

"I don't understand!"

"It feels great to be kissed by your fellow lady, right?"

"No, it doesn't!" Marilyn tried to protest, only to discover that it was all pointless as she felt her own body begin to fade away. "I love only you!"

"Same here. But I guess it's time I gave someone real a chance..."

At that, Marilyn vanished completely, allowing Noah the opportunity to walk over and nurse a badly beaten Michelle, before pondering the most foolproof way to return to reality.

* * *

"Is it me, or does everything still look fuzzy?"

"Nah, I think that's just our hangovers talking..." Noah said reassuringly in response to Michelle's heavy doubts about their surroundings.

"So, what now?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, are we still going to date? Or are you going to find someone else?"

"Hmm..." He mused, looking her up and down before coming to a verdict. "...how about we actually get to know each other first?"

"Sounds like a great plan to me..."


	9. Epilogue

"Greetings, child. Welcome to the light..."

Jared extended his right arm with a smile and patiently awaited the moment when innocent young Madison would take his hand, thus sealing her fate as another lowly servant.

Unfortunately, a light seemed to dawn in her eyes and she hurriedly stepped out of his reach, before falling into a display of adolescent confusion.

"I...I don't think I should go with you. I love my family, even though they're pretty much idiots sometimes..."

Jared frowned in supreme disappointment and withdrew his arm, unable to understand how anyone could be able to resist his charms.

"Well fuck you, little brat. You don't know what you're missing!"

Almost immediately, the bridge of ice began to disintegrate so that Madison found herself falling through the vast depths of space towards an unknown destination.

* * *

Madison trudged downstairs to find older siblings Aaron and Dionne already eating breakfast together at the table.

"Why didn't you guys wake me? I'm gonna be late..."

"Bitch please. You're the one who needs to turn up the volume on your phone."

She rolled her eyes at Dionne's response, barely fighting the urge to counter with an equally scathing remark while sitting down as well.

Twenty minutes later, Madison planted herself in the front passenger seat so that Dionne could drop her off on the way to work.

She waved goodbye shortly after leaving the vehicle and approaching the school gates, though the young woman in the car simply drove off without a single gesture of acknowledgement.

A bubbly young blonde attacked her from the side near the gates, causing her to instinctively flinch before relaxing again.

"Oh my God. You won't believe it, but Brendan just came out to his parents!"

"Really? How did it go?"

"He says they're okay with it! Can you believe that?!"

No... I mean, good for him!"

"I know, right?"

The two girls soon descended into squeals of excitement for their male friend, while caring little about the confused stares from other students.

* * *

"So, any reason you felt like coming here?"

"I don't know. Nostalgia, probably..."

Brittany gave a nervous laugh as she also recalled highschool days and how she'd first met the young man sitting beside her.

"Well, let's just say, I don't miss this place as much as you do..."

"Oh, come on. Don't you remember that time we made out in the music room? And it turned out the janitor was watching us the whole time?"

"Oh God, why do you have to remind me? That's something I'd rather forget..."

"Yeah, too bad we'll never get that moment back again."

"You're a creep. Can we just leave already?"

"As you wish..." Jared relented with an amused smile, before starting the engine so that they could go somewhere more interesting.


	10. Extras

Steve couldn't remember the last time that he'd spent a night alone, with Karen attending a highschool reunion and both of his children having moved out.

A phone call interrupted his attempts to sleep and fearing the worst, he rushed downstairs to find in shock that it was none other than an old classmate.

 _"Hello. It's me, Barbara..."_ The woman on the other side greeted in a weathered voice. _"How long has it been? Seven years?"_

Steve froze and tightened his grip on the receiver without realizing. She sounded quite different compared to the last time she'd called and part of him was afraid that seeing her again in person would only further diminish the pretty illusion he'd been holding on to.

It was his reflection in the mirror that forced him to accept reality, as well as the fact that the young man with leather jacket and long hair was also dead.

He pushed aside burdensome memories as a result and struck up a conversation with Barbara, soon agreeing to her request to meet again at a local bar.

* * *

"Where the hell am I? What is this place?!" Jared demanded to know as soon as he found himself in what looked like a science laboratory of some kind.

"Um, I don't know either..." A teenage girl with dark curly hair replied, approaching him while dressed in her Sunday best. "But it looks like my school science room..."

"Wait, who are you?!"

"I'm Madison. The girl sitting behind you in church..."

"Really? I didn't even notice..." Jared muttered in exasperation, while assuming that he was simply dreaming after having fallen asleep from boredom.

"Oh..." Madison said quietly, realizing in dismay that she was nothing to this person ten years her senior.

The nearby window abruptly shattered and they both spun around in confusion, before a suckered arm shot through to violently wrap around Jared's torso and yank him outside screaming.

"Well, I guess this must be Stephanie's dream. She has weird tastes, after all."

* * *

"Brittany, I know what you are. There's no point in hiding it anymore." Jared spoke up in a grave tone after he'd switched off the television to allow some silence.

"Uh, Jared? Are you feeling alright? Because I don't know what you're talking about..."

"See, there you go again. Trying to deny that you're actually a tentacle monster from outer space."

"Okay..." Brittany sighed while temporarily closing her eyes in frustration. "You're really getting on my nerves this time. Please tell me you're just tired or high on something..."

"No, I'm serious. I've seen you drunk..."

"What?"

"I even have pictures as proof..."

"Oh crap..."

Brittany inched away from him on the couch, at a loss over how to dispel his accusations once and for all. However, she soon remembered her promise to stay honest and as such, reluctantly forced her to admit the truth.

"Fine, I am a tentacle monster."

"I knew it. There was always something out of this world about you..."

"Ha ha, you're one to talk, Mister Devil."

"That just reminds me...what would you say to some interspecies sex? It's not like the rules apply to us anyway..."

"I...I guess it's worth a try." Brittany relented with a shy smile, before casting off her shirt and mutating rapidly into her true form.

* * *

The landlord approached the door cautiously, keen on investigating after several noise complaints from other tenants.

He knocked firmly a few times without reply, at which he reached for a key and unlocked the door to be met by the horrifying sight of two grotesque creatures mating furiously.

"Oh...oh shit..."

The landlord's face went pale and he ran straight back into the corridor, before impulses took over and he vomited upon the expensive floor.


	11. More Extras

_"Oh my God. We made it..."_

Alicia and Zach both sighed in relief upon reaching the sturdy door at the back of the nightclub, glad that they had finally found a means of escape from the carnage.

An odd fact soon became clear to Alicia however and she turned warily to her fiance.

"Do you hear that? The shooting just stopped."

"Yeah, but we can't take any chances. It might just be a...wait, what the hell is that?"

He turned his gaze around completely and she did the same to notice the ominous cloud of darkness moving quickly towards them.

It took a few moments for Alicia to realize what was happening, before she nervously grabbed Zach's hand and tried to look unafraid.

"I guess it's time to wake up..."

* * *

_Slow and sensual music played in the background as Jared emerged from the bathroom with his shirt half undone._

_He confidently made his way across the room towards a double bed, before bending over to face an unknown partner._

_"Are you ready for me, baby?" He asked in a deeply seductive voice while crawling onto the bed and staring hungrily at them._

_The camera then panned over to reveal that it was Michelle sitting casually beneath the sheets, reading a fashion magazine while wearing lacy black lingerie._

_"Of course I am, Jared. You're the sexiest brother a girl could ask for..."_

* * *

Steve woke up in horror and rolled over to frantically shake his wife awake, desperate for relief from the terrifying lovemaking scene he'd just witnessed.

"Huh, is something wrong?" Karen asked absentmindedly upon opening her eyes and seeing his panicked expression.

"Karen, we need to talk..."

"About what?"

"This isn't the first time I've been forced to watch your fantasies, but I just want to say, how could you have a dream like that about our own kids? They used to share the same bathtub for God's sake!"

"Well, how should I put it...? You could say it's just a form of wish fulfillment. See, Michelle represents me and Jared...where are you going?!"

"Downstairs. To watch some television." Steve simply replied in disgust before getting up and leaving the room.

* * *

"Dancing unicorns, double rainbows and sparkly cherubs?! Were you high as fuck when you fell asleep or something?"

Michelle stared around their surroundings in similar confusion for several seconds before replying to Noah's question.

"How should I know?! I guess my subconscious just works in mysterious ways.. "

"Then shoot me right now! I don't want to be stuck in this madness any longer!"

"Oh, come on, don't be such a party pooper." Michelle rebuffed in irritation before taking a deep breath and tossing their only gun off the building just to spite him. "Getting to know each other was your idea, remember?"

"Yeah, but this wasn't what I had in mind!"

"Get a hold of yourself. We came here to have a good time and that's what we're going to do. Now, let's head back downtown and dance our time away..."

"No, I didn't sign up for this!" Noah could only scream as she began to drag him forcefully towards the stairs and a party that he didn't feel comfortable about attending.


End file.
